September 2023
Johnston County History: 25-50-100 Years Ago This Month
September 1998 (25 years ago)
- Johnston County farmers surveyed wind damage from Hurricane Bonnie. Toby Lee, a Bentonville farmer and owner of New Deal Warehouse, said it did not rise to the level of damage from Hurricane Fran.
- Cleveland residents considered annexation. The area has Benson addresses with Garner phone numbers or Smithfield numbers with Clayton addresses, Johnston County Commissioner Cookie Pope said.
- Johnston County Schools SAT scores averaged 863, just below the statewide average of 982 and the national average of 1017. Fifty percent of Johnston County students took the SAT.
- The Public Library of Johnston County eyed expansion. Joyce Mitchell, library director, told the Smithfield Herald the library outgrew their existing building 10 years ago.
- A thief stole a $929 paycheck in a car break-in on South Fourth Street, one of several car break-ins reported to police. All the vehicles had been left unlocked.
September 1973 (50 years ago)
- Less than 50 people turned out for a public hearing on the proposed Johnston County Airport. The 444-acre airport site is south of Burkett Jones Crossroads and the Whitley Heights subdivision and four miles from Downtown Smithfield. Jerry Moore, who lived nearby, spoke in opposition. A petition signed by 109 people was presented, opposing the airport construction.
- Eaton Corporation said they have no definite plans for 120 acres of undeveloped land south of the GTE Sylvania plant between I-95 and Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Eaton quietly purchased the site in 1969 for development of a fork lift truck manufacturing plant but construction was postponed due to unfavorable economic conditions.
- O.B. Batten of Route 2 Kenly announced he will challenge incumbent Johnston County Republican Party Chairman John D. Johnson of Route 1 Selma for election as GOP chair.
- Robert E. Bell, former town commissioner and owner of Bell’s Opticians, filed for the Smithfield Town Council. Other candidates already to file were Incumbent Town Commissioner Norwood Worley, Mrs. Louise Sewell, Dr. Norman B. Grantham Jr., and Sherrill Lane. Bell was defeated in a bid for re-election in 1963 but was appointed to the town board later that year to fill out the term of the late Denton F. Lee. Bell was re-elected in 1967 but was defeated in 1971.
- The West Smithfield Sanitary District Board of Commissioners said a new junior high school serving the Smithfield-Wilson’s Mills area should be built in West Smithfield. Wallace Ashley Jr. of Smithfield, a member of the County Board of Education, favored the West Smithfield location.
- Johnston County Highway Patrol First Sgt. George A. Stewart urged motorists to use caution over the 1973 Labor Day weekend. In 1972, no one was killed, while 12 people were injured in 19 motor vehicle accidents during the Labor Day period in the county.
- L.B. Shaffer of Raleigh was granted a building permit from the Town of Selma for a 118-unit two-story “Passport Inn” motel and restaurant on Highway 70-A at I-95.
- Miss Linda Carol Boylan from Campbell College was crowned Miss Benson 1974 at the Benson Elementary School auditorium. First runner up was Miss Jennie Jo Barbour. Second runner up was Miss Miriam Ann Rose.
- Congressman David N. Henderson announced a $444,078 federal grant to the Town of Selma for the South Pollock Street Neighborhood Development Program.
- The Johnston County School Boards Association and PTA Council met in joint session and went on record in support of a $300 million statewide school bond issue. A motion was made by William I. Wellons and seconded by Shelton Benson.
- Wade Daughtry, Donald Michaels, and Jerry Murray were ordained into the gospel ministry during a Sept. 30, 1973 service at Midway Baptist Church in Selma.
- Mrs. Ernest Pilkington of Archer Lodge Road got the surprise of her life when she stepped out on her back porch and saw a deer. “It really surprised me. I’ve never seen one out of captivity.” Pilkington said her home is just outside the Clayton corporate limits and is surrounded by woods, according to a Smithfield Herald article.
September 1923 (100 years ago)
- School opened with the biggest first day enrollment in history. Four trucks from Wilson’s Mills-Polenta, Pomona, and Creech’s schools brought pupils. Superintendent Franks handled the large crowd with a minimum of confusion. Rev. D.H. Tuttle, pastor of the Methodist church, was present for the opening and quoted several passages of scripture. Dr. L.D. Wharton, chairman of the school board, welcomed teachers. Mrs. Wilson of Selma was introduced with the statement she would have a class in expression and public speaking in Smithfield starting the following week.
- The regular meeting of the Board of Town Commissioners was held in the opera house to discuss a number of matters of vital importance. The town tax rate was levied at $1.25; 40 cents general tax, 80 cents for bonds, and 5 cents for malarial prevention.
- The Board of Town Commissioners reported $70,007.53 was dispersed in 1922 and $77,310 was received, leaving a surplus of about $7,000.
- Mr. Alonzo Parrish sold Mr. W.S. Murchison his entire business block, consisting of five large brick stores, the 40 room brick hotel, his auto show room garage, and about a dozen business lots. All the property is in the center of Benson.
- The Fuquay Springs property in Benson was advertised to be sold at auction.
- Johnston County will soon have a large brick plant capable of turning out 5 million bricks annually. It will be equipped with the latest machinery for drying and burning brick. The plant will be owned by W.M. Layton of Marion, SC and is to be located a mile from town by the railroad near Turner’s Bridge. Mr. Layton has secured a 99-year lease on 50 acres of land from Mr. D.J. Wellons. The Proprietor will be Mr. W.M. Lynch. All the machinery will be run by electricity. The plant is scheduled to open in January 1924.
- A meeting was held to discuss a creamery for Johnston County. Attendees decided it would require 500 cows and a capital stock of $25,000. Over 400 cows have been pledged. Eighty people, including Mr. W.H. Austin of the Kiwanis club and Mr. N.G. Bartlett of the Eastern Chamber of Commerce, left by automobile to travel to Florence, SC to view a creamery firsthand. They will also study what producers are doing in SC about the boll weevil situation.
- Dr. L.D. Wharton, chairman of the school board of the Smithfield district, was present at the Board of Town Commissioners meeting. He asked the town to place curbing at the front of the new high school building and pave the sidewalk from second to third streets. The commissioners readily endorsed the suggestion.
- The Board of Town Commissioners discussed but took no action on a discussion by the public generally for the past month – allowing the stores of Smithfield to remain open on Sundays.
This historical information was compiled with the assistance of the Johnston County Heritage Center, 241 E. Market Street, Smithfield.
